Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Chelsea FC – Sunday 24th May 2026 - KO 16:00

[RTB]

My turn to show my appreciation, @RTB . Thanks for all of your brilliant match‑day threads. I have a little superstition about them: I always like them but never comment on them until after the game. Stupid, I know, but it has worked this season. I’m looking forward to all of them next season, especially the extra Europa League ones. When you do the first one, we’ll know we’ve made it.

These are my thoughts on the past nine years as a Sunderland supporter.

I hated every minute we were in League One. My anxiety levels were completely through the roof because I felt we had to win games to get out of that ****hole and put the embarrassment of being there behind us.

I loved the Championship, mainly because we weren’t in League One, but also because I felt we could compete with anyone and had every chance of promotion, either automatic or through the play‑offs.

I have absolutely loved every minute of the Premier League. I was initially concerned about how we would perform until we started signing players, then I thought we had a fighting chance. After the first few minutes of the opening game against West Ham — how our new players gelled and the high‑tempo football we were trying to play — it became obvious to me that we would do more than just scrape through. By the end of the summer window, our squad looked more than capable, and I personally felt that we could compete with any team in the league. We might not always get the wins, but we would give them a game. Even when we went behind in games, I wasn’t that bothered because I knew we would score at least one.

Until this season, I had no real interest in the Premier League since we last graced it. I knew the teams and the players that were highlighted weekly on Match of the Day, and I looked forward to seeing them live and in the flesh. I have been disappointed with every one of them. We did a job on every “big player” I can think of, and in my opinion we made them look ordinary.

I have supported Sunderland since 1960 and have had a season card since I retired in 2013, and I can honestly say that Sunday’s win — and the rewards that came with it — made for the best feeling I have ever experienced supporting them. To be there with my wife, her family, and my mate from school days was an incredible, and I must say very emotional, experience.

 

[Mart]

Have you forgoten Kane.

As a striker i think shearer still vies with Kane for that accolade!...The game has moved on since shearer played and its hard to compare but i still think Shearer would adapt and do very well today if he was transported into 2026 game but im not sure Kane would fair so well the other way.Kane is a better all round player and his set up play is wonderful but as a striker i prefer Shearer(and i hate to say that).

 

[alcoauth]

As a striker i think shearer still vies with Kane for that accolade!...The game has moved on since shearer played and its hard to compare but i still think Shearer would adapt and do very well today if he was transported into 2026 game but im not sure Kane would fair so well the other way.Kane is a better all round player and his set up play is wonderful but as a striker i prefer Shearer(and i hate to say that).

I think Shearer was a little more physical and ruthless than Kane is , who is a little quicker and is a better footballer than Shearer was. Horses for courses, or strikers for eras if you prefer.

 

[Geecee]

Yes, it is widespread.

But in normal businesses, they can't bully you by trying to tell you that you are legally forced to pay for their product.

That's what the BBC does. Don't pay it. They can't make you

As for his opinions, I've never heard him utter an original thought, and he can barely ger his words out without stumbling over them.

I don't think he was very professional on Sunday on MOTD. I would imagine he's paid to give a neutral opinion without sounding biased.

Other pundits do it. He sounded like he was going to cry at any moment. He also sounded so down and close to mumbling. Far from professional imo

 

[TonyG]

Sensational Sunderland qualify for Europa League after 10-man Chelsea fall apart​

Louise Taylor at the Stadium of Light...

(Sensational Sunderland, love it!)

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...premier-league-match-report#comment-174723759


Some comments from the bottom of the match report:

Tahitikaina
24 May 2026 19.10

As a Lorient fan, I keep an eye on how our boy regis is doing there.. Glad he found a club with the same values..Since Lorient is a small city, we all know someone who knows him and it's certain he loves it there.. the great part of this love story beetween him and sunderland is that even if Liverpool comes knoking on the door .. he won't leave.. he is the humble type, who wants to be given time to developp a project.. hope it continues as long as fergie and arsene


Markear
22 hours ago

As an aged Pompey fan, I’m delighted for Sunderland; we’ve been bumping around the same territory for some years, albeit they never financially imploded as we did.

The reason I’m delighted is the fans. Proper nailed-on fans, any Wembley game they camp out the night before at Trafalgar Square. Lunatics, said as a compliment, from a fellow lunatic.

Good on yer! Enjoy the ride mush, go drink some foreign town dry like we did in Wolfsburg. It’s a blast.


thebigfeller
23 hours ago

Absolutely delighted about this. Thrilled for every Sunderland fan. Including Louise too!

The length of time they'd gone without European football was ridiculous, absurd. As I've said before, Sunderland are a huge club whose 'natural' size should leave them always in the top flight and pushing for the top 10.

Football - especially with wealthy benefactors - doesn't work like that of course, so Sunderland fans have been through the mill... and then some. But even when they were stuck in the third tier, even when they were a national laughing stock, I always thought they'd be back in the Prem before long. Those fans are too loyal and passionate and their club too plain big (but it's only big because of those fans) for it not to have happened.

This season, though? Wow! They've defied absolutely everyone, and have done so with a team which any fan of any club would love to have represent them. They've given everything, absolutely everything. Look at Sunderland; then look at Chelsea or especially Tottenham. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work as hard.

That's not to say Sunderland are without talent; they've got plenty of it! But the attitude of the side and their incredible manager epitomises the ethos of the club. I was so disappointed for Sunderland when, under Peter Reid, astonishing, even title-challenging first halves of the season faded away into missing out on Europe. Now, at last, they have a fantastic adventure to look forward to, and lifelong memories to make.

Enjoy it Sunderland! You couldn't deserve it more.


IDFKGothenburg
24 May 2026 18.48

From one former shipbuilding city on the North Sea to another, AMAZING job Sunderland AFC. Composed, tough and tenacious. A team and a club that embody, for me, what football is all about. It's life affirming to watch, honestly.


johnkaysleftleg2
24 May 2026 18.37

I truly never thought I’d see the day the Lads qualified for Europe, I’m still in shock if I’m honest. Today should have been easier than it was as we were comfortably the better side before the game broke up and became a bit of a mess in the last 20 minutes. But who cares, we did our job and the results fell for us.
I’m off to look at the table again just to make sure….

Laughed out loud at this bit

“The reason I’m delighted is the fans. Proper nailed-on fans, any Wembley game they camp out the night before at Trafalgar Square. Lunatics, said as a compliment, from a fellow lunatic.”

We do We don’t even have to coordinate as it’s just understood.

 

[TopCat.]

Christ, what a year it's been supporting Sunderland. Just when you think it can't get any better....it bloody well does. I assume away tickets for Europe will be like Hen's teeth, but I'm absolutely up for travelling anyway and soaking up the atmosphere in some random Eastern European backwater.....

 

[RTB]

For those who were still in the Fans Museum and missed the coach arrive

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[rowley]

I don't think he was very professional on Sunday on MOTD. I would imagine he's paid to give a neutral opinion without sounding biased.

Other pundits do it. He sounded like he was going to cry at any moment. He also sounded so down and close to mumbling. Far from professional imo

They just read lines out. An analyst sometimes prepares graphics or some stats. Few go beyond this, and he in particular is utterly incapable of it. He's just not very bright.

 

[Essayyeffcee]

For those who were still in the Fans Museum and missed the coach arrive

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It was an amazing situation. We stood by Black Cats House and everyone saw the bus turn in but then it just disappeared in the red smoke of all the flares and then all of a sudden it was there in front of you and the noise of everyone chanting went up a level. This video is from our perspective

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[RTB]

Already on tour in Europe. Ha’Way The Lads!

You could have seen that in Whitburn
I hope you had a great time but
You did miss the best game of the season- absolutely electric

 

[RTB]

Sing your hearts out everyone. With you all in spirit from Plama Nova, Majorca. HTL

never been there
You obviously were on the spirit

 

[Oliver's Army]

never been there
You obviously were on the spirit

Adn I still am

 

[Rhinos Legend]

He’s back singing his little heart out

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[Becs]

Matterface hasn't got a clue, at least Alex Crook & Scott Minto said a few good words...

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[RTB]

Just dawned on me that my arms are quite burned.

Didn’t even notice

I think that was the warmest day I can remember at the SoL - once you were out of reach of the cool sea breeze.
Having said that I had to move out of the shade, into the sun at the Fans Museum because I was freezing

 

[Nads]

I think that was the warmest day I can remember at the SoL - once you were out of reach of the cool sea breeze.
Having said that I had to move out of the shade, into the sun at the Fans Museum because I was freezing

Aye mate it was screaming hot.

I’m already quite tanned so didn’t even think about burning. I’m still glowing a bit now 2 days later ha.

 

[Gil T Azell]

How fantastic is that.Might just be my new screensaver.

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[RTB]

Ahhh I thought I might have been on that one! Taff pulled me onto the camera when I was singing the Indiana Jones theme to him!!

Yeah that was definitely the best bit

 

[RTB]

After the L1 final I was crying, the first time I saw Sunderland win at Wembley, in person. What an incredible day out that was. The whole day was right, never once did I feel that we wer going to lose

After the Championship PO final I was in tears. the memories of L1 were now a distant memory, one that I hope WE NEVER REPEAT.

Sunday, that hit differently. for once everything went out way and we won too. Everything was on point. everything was pefect. the Final whistle was just a release of everything we had to suffer and endure during L1, every team we played against creating a rivalry with us
players doing the shearer when they scored
losing on your "big day out" ( our history is bigger than all of the clubs combined)
losing at wembley twice
Phil Parkinson
Lee Johnson
losing 4-0. 5-1 and 6-0 all within a 6 month period
Appointing Alex Neil, him being seen at Durham train station before announcing him
Him going to Stoke on the verge of our home game as they were more AMBITOUS ( yes spelling is wrong but I dont care)
MICHAEL BEALE
rolling out the red carpet for them in the FA CUp
MICHAEL BEALE
losing the last 5 games of the seaon before the POs
going 1 down early on in the PO final...


and now?

WE ARE IN THE FCKEN EUROPEA LEAGUE!

I've spent most of the day reading through this thread while watching the repeat of the premier league games, thanks for the entertainment especially during added time when it all got a tad nervy.
The result was never in doubt

 

[Hannah1989]

I've spent most of the day reading through this thread while watching the repeat of the premier league games, thanks for the entertainment especially during added time when it all got a tad nervy.
The result was never in doubt

I tried my best.
The rum,
Beer
And the Aldi “pimms”

Held a lot